Red velvet mites on an Edelweiss

Description:

Summary[edit] Description: Italiano: Alcuni acari (Trombidiformes) mentre si nutrono su un fiore di una stella alpina appenninica (Leontopodium nivale, Fam. Asteraceae) nel massiccio della Majella (Appennino centrale, Abruzzo, Italia). Questa pianta è molto specializzata per sopravvivere in un ambiente ostile. Vive in costoni pietrosi in montagna da 2000 m a 2800 m. È completamente ricoperta da una peluria bianca per condensare e trattenere la poca acqua dell'ambiente circostante e inoltre per creare uno strato di aria ferma per mantenere la temperatura stabile attorno a essa. Infine è totalmente bianca per riflettere i raggi del sole (radiazioni ultraviolette) perché a questa altezza sono veramente intensi. Adattamenti straordinari per una pianta meravigliosa.English: Some mites (Trombidiformes) feeding on the flower of an edelweiss (Leontopodium nivale, Fam. Asteraceae) in the massif of Majella (Central Appennines, Abruzzo, Italy). This plant is very specialized in surviving in hostile enviroments. It lives in stony ridges in mountains from 2000m to 2800m. It’s totally covered by white hair to condense and hold back the little water of the enviroment and also to create a layer of stationary air to keep the temperature fixed around it. Finally it’s totally white to reflect the rays of the sun (ultraviolet radiation) because they are very strong at this height. Amazing adaptation for wonderful plant. Date: 15 August 2016, 11:20:50. Source: Own work. Author: Andrea Massagli. Camera location42° 05′ 00.41″ N, 14° 05′ 34.41″ E View all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap 42.083447; 14.092893. Maiella National Park, Abruzzo, Italy Licensing[edit] : This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. :. You are free: to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work to remix – to adapt the work Under the following conditions: attribution – You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 truetrue. : This image was uploaded as part of Wiki Science Competition 2017.